Checking it out

NOTE: Ed is getting a bit ahead of himself. He’s posting this and the following hint as a pair. So the hint below this is a follow-up to this one. But it’s also the hint for next week. But this is the hint for this week. Confused? So is Ed!

READING PROOF IS A TOUGH TASK. There’s always the concern that something will get through, no matter how careful you are. You’re usually checking pages right on deadline and there’s that extra pressure to get it done quickly. What’s worse—and you know it happens—is when you wind up proofing a page you designed or a story you wrote. Some thoughts: 1. Get someone from outside of the newsroom to help in the proofing process. Perhaps its someone in advertising. Or circulation. That person probably hasn’t even heard of the story or the package you’re working on, so they can give it unbiased attention. 2. Set earlier page deadlines. If a page has to be proofed by 11 a.m. to get to the press on time, let’s set the page deadline for 10:30 a.m. 3. Never, never, e-v-e-r proof your own page. You’re too attached to the story or the package. You wrote the headline. If your headline says ‘Mayor says city debt to high,” then the odds are pretty strong that you are not going to notice on the second, third, fourth or fifth time around that the phrase should read “…too high.” Proofing is important. It gives us that one last look to ensure a quality product for our readers. Let’s give it the attention it needs. NEXT: A different approach to proofreading that really works! BUT!!!! BEFORE YOU GO to the next hint…did you find the error in the illustration at the top of this hint?